After twenty years of absence, Odysseus returns from his long wanderings. Penelope wants to ensure that the man is Odysseus. The man has changed over twenty years. So, she conceives a ruse to test the stranger’s identity. The heroine asks to bring in their marital bed. She knew that Odysseus built the bed around an olive tree in their chamber. That is why Penelope predicts that only her husband will pass the test.
Detailed answer:
Odysseus underwent numerous adventures. Twenty years of his absence changed his character. It was enough for his wife not to recognize him. Specifically, because the heroine believed her husband to be long dead. Penelope is a dutiful and faithful wife. She wants to ensure that the unrecognizable stranger is Odysseus. When he arrives, a maid awakens Penelope to meet her husband. Still, it does not convince the heroine.
Penelope comes up with the pretext of asking the stranger to rest. She asks her maid to bring their marital bed. At this demand, Odysseus becomes enraged. He understands that the bed cannot be moved easily. The character then proceeds to explanations. He describes how he built it around a trunk of an olive tree growing in a garden and then a chamber. This revelation convinces Penelope that the man is Odysseus. Only he knew about the secret.
Odysseus manages to convince his wary wife by reacting to her trick. Though, he is unconscious of it. Penelope could not believe that her husband is alive after all. She was afraid that it could be a ploy devised by gods. Finally, the character’s angry reaction to Penelope’s request serves as enough evidence to identify him.